Dental Implants

You don’t have to live with a missing tooth! Dr. Talib Salim Ali and the staff at Avatar Dental Care can help with dental implants!

What is a dental implant?

Dental implants are fake teeth that look and feel real. They are made up of a titanium post that is inserted into the jaw bone with the new tooth placed on top.

What is the dental implant procedure?

Dr. Ali will first want to give you a thorough exam to make sure that a dental implant is right for you. This exam will include an X-ray of your teeth and jaw to make sure that your jaw bone is strong enough to support the implant. If Dr. Ali decides that a dental implant is the right option, he will make a mold of your jaw. This mold, your X-rays and the results of your exam will help him to develop a treatment plan.

When it is time to place the implant, Dr. Ali will numb the area to receive the implant with a local anesthetic. He will surgically implant the titanium post into the bone socket of the missing tooth.

It will take six to 12 weeks for the post to fuse to the bone, in a process known as “osseointegration.” This may seem like a long time, but this is an important part of the procedure. When the post and bone are tightly fused together, it ensures that the new tooth will look and feel natural because the post is acting like the tooth’s root. This also helps to ensure that the gums and the surrounding teeth will stay healthy.

In the next part of the process, Dr. Ali will make an impression of your mouth. This will be sent to a lab where they will make your artificial tooth. When the post and the jawbone have fused, he will place your new tooth.

Dr. Ali also does OsteoReady implants.

What is an OsteoReady implant?

OsteoReady implants are the latest thing in the world of dentistry! There are many benefits to the traditional dental implant, but OsteoReady implants have these benefits and more.

OsteoReady implants can be placed in one visit to the dentist while traditional implants can take several visits and several months to place.

The procedure to place traditional implants involves drilling and bone grafts. The procedure for OsteoReady implants is less invasive.

Not every dentist can place OsteoReady implants. However, Dr. Ali is an OsteoReady implant expert!

What are the benefits of implants?

Dental implants are so easy to maintain. You simply brush and floss your teeth as you normally would, and visit Dr. Ali twice a year for your exams and cleanings. This is one reason that many patients prefer dental implants over other restorations, such as removable dentures, which require a lot of special care and cleaning. If you take proper care of your dental implants, they can last for years and years. Some implants will last a lifetime.

Dental implants also look real and natural. Most people won’t be able to tell that you have an implant! And, dental implants have a very high success rate with over 98 percent of implants succeeding.

Why should I worry about a missing tooth?

When someone loses a tooth, their first concern may be how their smile will look. However, a missing tooth can cause many serious health issues. As soon as a tooth is gone, the other teeth start to move out of place. This can mean crowding, and this can make it difficult to clean teeth thoroughly. This can lead to tooth decay and gum disease.

Many people don’t realize that missing teeth can cause damage to the jaw bone as well. The jaw needs all of the teeth to maintain its structure. Without them, the bone starts to weaken, which can mean even more lost teeth. And of course, missing teeth can mean that the person has a reduced quality of life. They can’t enjoy their favorite foods like they did and can even have trouble eating, speaking and swallowing.

How much will a dental implant cost?

As with any dental procedure, the costs involved can depend on many factors. However, Avatar Dental Care accepts many different types of insurance, including Delta Dental, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Guardian, Aetna and Anthem. Our staff would be happy to work with you to see what your insurance will pay.

If you have decided it’s finally time to do something about your missing tooth, Dr. Ali and Avatar Dental Care can help! Dr. Ali is not only an expert at traditional dental implants, but he can place OsteoReady implants, the very latest in dental implant technology.